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Friday, May 18, 2012

Hellspawn Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

We’re about to release our second full-length album, and we’ve got a few cool shows coming, so we’re pretty excited.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from the older releases?

I think there is a good balance between dirt and heaviness. When compared to our previous releases, “The Great Red Dragon” sound much more professional. I’m responsible for the sound of our releases, and since I’m gainging expertise in the field of musical production, Hellspawn’s music sounds better and better.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release?

I’m glad you ask, as this is by far the most conceptually unified album. Our drummer writes all the lyrics in Polish, and I translate them into English and adapt them to songs, and it’s been like that since day one with very few exceptions. This time you can call it a ‘concept album’, as all the lyrics revolve around William Blake’s series of paintings entitled “The Great Red Dragon”. He painted them to depict various scenes from the Biblical Book of Revelation, and by the name the The Great Red Dragon he meant the Devil. Blake’s incarnation of this lyrical figure is simply amazing, and basically that is why we decided to use Blake’s output as a general theme for our album. The lyrics, as always, have not much of an explicit meaning, and you’re free to interpret them as you like. However, a few days ago I realized that there might be a certain limit to it. One reviewer of the album stated that our lyrics are anti judeo-christian, which I didn’t like, but what can you do? He troubled himself only for that kind of interpretation and I must accept it, haha.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

It’s hard to tell for me, really. When I joined the group someone had already come up with the name, and I never really questioned it. This is some sort of homage for Morbid Angel, I guess, and since it sounds cool and fits the genre we kept with it. Although there have been some other groups using the name, I think we’ve become the most popular, haha.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

By far most of the shows we give are on small club stages. We always give our best no matter how many people are there to listen to us. I’m aware of how arrogant it might sound, but when compared to most other bands we play with, we’re really professional about what we do. We just get on stage, do our shit, and get off – no bullshit, no stalling: that’s the way it’s meant to be. If more bands were like us in that respect, the world would be a better place, haha.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?

Not much of touring, per se. But we’ve got some shows coming and we’re still organizing some more. That’s the way it’s always been. We don’t make money playing, so giving performances is more of a weekend thing, rather than touring.

7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your newer album by fans of evil death metal?

Well it still awaits its release, but for the very few bits of sneek preview we’ve given out together with our new promotor, GODZ OV WAR, the response has been beyond satisfying. We’ve worked and waited for it for almost too long, and now it’s finally paying off, haha.

8. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

I never think about it, and I think the rest of the guys do not as well. We just do our stuff, and let it evolve on its own. We’ve never had any ambition to be the fastest, the most innovative etc. This does not, however, mean that we do not pay attention to what we produce. When I think of all the pain I’m through when writing music, I must say that the opposite is true, haha.

9. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have influenced your newer material and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I love the latest Hate Eternal album. After a very demanding previous release “Fury & Flames”, they’ve delivered an album which I have been waiting for. It’s brutal, good-sounding, and with numerous memorable moments, which is a truly rare thing with modern death metal. Also, I enjoyed latest Decapitated album. I’m really happy to see (or rather hear) them strong as never before, despite the tragic events they’ve been through. It’s truly inspiring for me.

10. How would you describe your views on Satanism and Occultism?

It’s a form of religion, and what follows is the fact that it does not resonate with me, really. I’m an atheist (or a non-religious person, if you will) and my worldview is devoid of any form of superstition or mythology, and this includes Satanism, which in certain respects makes more sense than most types of Christianity. But still, if you have enough knowledge of the world and of the universe and its history, Satanism seems as pointless and Christianity or any kind of religion or mythology. I understand how and why things like these emerge, but they are cultural phenomena, and they do not reflect the reality effectively, so I simply dismiss them.

11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

I’m afraid there are none, haha. Beside playing music, I also enjoy recording and engineering music, which is almost an entirely separate thing on its own. Basically, those two things consume all the energy I have, and beyond them, there’s not much elso I do, hobby-wise that is, haha

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

It’s been great to be able to answer your questions. Stay brutal and check out our latest album “The Great Red Dragon”, and other releases by our label Wydawnictwo Muzyczne Psycho. If you’re into extreme music, I guarantee you’ll find something you’ll like in there.